Breakfast cereal

A breakfast cereal is a food product designed especially to be marketed to consumers as a ready-made breakfast food. Though cereal foods such as porridge are a staple of daily meals in many countries around the world, in wealthier, consumer-conscious nations such as the United States, entire industries have been created dedicated to the sale of specialized products, such as breakfast cereals. Breakfast cereals are generally eaten cold and mixed with milk as opposed to hot cereals like oatmeal, grits, etc.

Highlights in the history of American breakfast cereals

• ~1600's — North American colonists pour sugar and cream on popcorn, making the first puffed breakfast cereal.
• 1877 — Portrait of the Quaker man on the Quaker Oats package created. Updated three times: 1946, 1957, and 1972.
• 1885 — Quaker Oats first packages Quaker Oatmeal in square boxes after years of selling oatmeal in bulk.
• 1906 — Kellogg begins production of Kellogg's Corn Flakes at W.K. Kellogg's newly formed Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flakes Company.
• 1915 — Quaker Oats packages Quaker Oatmeal in now-familiar cylinders.
• 1916 — Kellogg introduces All-Bran, nicknamed "The Grim Reaper of Loin Chow."
• 1924 — General Mills introduces Wheaties, called Washburn's Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes during its development.
• 1928 — Kellogg introduces Rice Krispies.
• 1941 — General Mills introduces Cheerioats, later to be called Cheerios.
• 1942 — Raisin Bran first available in stores.
• 1952 — Kellogg introduces Sugar Smacks.
• 1958 — Tony the Tiger wins contest over Katy the Kangaroo to become sole spokes-character for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.
• 1961 — Quaker Oats introduces Life Cereal.
• 1963 — Quaker Oats introduces Cap'n Crunch. Kellogg introduces Fruit Loops.
• 1965 — Quaker Oats introduces Quisp.
• 1978 — Quaker Oats introduces Cinnamon Life Cereal.